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>Many thousands are going to freeze to death in their homes this Christmas.

Unlike in Europe. Oh wait.

Every time this topic is touched I learn something new about the standard of comfort that western Europe enjoys.

I've been told that in Germany the gas-saving measures will make people turn down their temperature during winter to 20-21°C from the, supposedly, standard 24-25°C.

But that can't be right, can it?

When I lived in Italy we had below 20°C during winter because the wooden windows from the 70s not replaced since then due to various, not strictly financial reasons, didn't provide much insulation.

Over here in eastern Europe it was always "18°C and put a sweater on".

I'd be careful with these ideas of countries being generally wealthy these days. Germany and the UK as with elsewhere has a large minority who could only dream of such temperatures in the middle of winter in their home. Many will go without heating as they have done in previous winters. Standard of comfort is highly variable within countries.

But yes, generally speaking, people have got used to setting the thermostat higher.

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